Study: Full moon impacts sleep

Science has proven the werewolf to be a figment of myth and folklore, but a recent study released in the journal Current Biology may explain why the full moon has us all feeling a little beastly.

Dr. Christian Cajochen, head of the Centre for Chronobiology at the University of Basel, and his affiliates studied 33 sleeping volunteers. They monitored brain activity during non-rapid-eye-movement, or NREM, sleep, and the secretion of melatonin and cortisol hormones.

The results were a lack of quality sleep and a decrease in melatonin levels around the full moon.

According to the abstract, the study showed volunteers experienced a 30% drop in electroencephalogram (EEG) delta activity – that is, brain activity revealing a deep sleep during NREM. Volunteers also took 5 minutes longer to fall asleep and lost 20 minutes of sleep during the night on average.

Cortisol levels did not see significance changes.

The tests were performed in a controlled-laboratory environment, so external factors like light, noise and nightmare-spooked children could not affect the data. To prevent a potential bias, the test subjects were not told lunar phases were under scrutiny.

Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland, regulates the human sleep-wake cycle by causing drowsiness and lowering body temperature in relation to sunlight and darkness, according to the National Sleep Foundation's website.

Additionally, research has suggested potential links between the hormone and autism, diabetes, anti-aging and the immune system.

"The lunar cycle seems to influence human sleep, even when one does not see the moon and is not aware of the actual moon phase," said Cajochen in the news release.

The study suggests that a "circalunar clock" ticks with humans internally whether we see or are aware of the full moon. It further considers a genetic and molecular origin for this inherent rhythm.

Cajochen added that aspects of modern life such as electrical lights often hide the moon's sway on people.